Best Hamilton Restaurants: Where To Eat In The Hammer

If you think the only restaurant scene in southern Ontario is in Toronto, then you obviously haven't visited Hamilton for a meal.

The Hammer (or Steeltown, if you prefer) has exploded in the past few years with a number of amazing restaurants and events that celebrate Ontario's bounty, while remaining incredibly community-oriented.

"It's very rare to find so many businesses at different stages of their success, from brand new ventures getting off the ground and beloved institutions, and everyone seems accessible," says Dave Hanley, owner of Pop Up Hamilton and occasional food writer for Hamilton Magazine. "There's a very strong neighbourhood feeling. There's a feeling that if one of us succeeds, all of us will succeed."

Hanley's company, which creates four-to-six course pop-up dinners at inventive locations, has worked with many chefs in town for their sold-out events. Though they initially had to hunt around for their cooks, now Hanley says they build their events around the chef, instead of vice versa.

And that includes chefs like Jonny Blonde, whose barbecue food truck helped lead the way for the city's street food revolution, now celebrated as one of the best in Canada. More evidence of Hamilton's carnivorous roots comes in the form of MeatVentures MeatWagon, another favoured food truck.

"The food truck community is very supportive of each other," says Hanley. "They send a lot of business each others' way. It's a very authentic city."

The Huffington Post Canada came up with a list of the best sit-down restaurants in Hamilton, from the very high end to the messiest of great bar food. Take a look at our choices, and let us know — what did we miss?

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Hamilton's Best Restaurants

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Jack and Lois
Where: 301 James St. N.
Type of food: Gourmet sandwiches and breakfast. "Their chefs have integrity, they’re really committed to innovation, they try a lot of things and succeed at most of them," says Hanley.
How much: Sandwiches from $7 to $13; breakfast from $7 to $12

Rapscallion
Where: 61 Young St.
Type of food: Adventurous carnivore (with a few veggie options). "Matt Kershaw is probably the single greatest chef in Ontario," says Hanley. "Simplicity kind of rules and yet he’s daring at the same time."
How much: Dishes from $9 to $19

La Cantina Ristorante
Where: 60 Walnut St. S.
Type of food: Italian. "You go there at 7 and you just wind up staying until midnight," says Hanley.
How much: Appetizers $6.50 to $14.95, mains $12.95 to $24.95

The Ancaster Mill
Where: 548 Old Dundas Rd. (Ancaster)
Type of food: High-end dining with classic dishes. "Along with Quatrefoil, this is one of the more decadent dining experience you can have in the area," says Hanley.
How much: Appetizers $10 to $16, mains $20 to $41

The Ship
Where: 23 Augusta St.
Type of food: Pub, seafood and craft beers. "It's really kicked-up pub fare with influences from around the world without going overboard," says Hanley.
How much: Appetizers $5 to $13, mains $11 to $15

Detour Cafe
Where: 41 King St. W. (Dundas)
Type of food: This place started as a coffee roaster, then started serving brunch, then sandwiches, and now also has dinners on Fridays.
How much: Breakfast $6 to $13, lunch $6.50 to $14

Jack and LoisWhere: 301 James St. N.Type of food: Gourmet sandwiches and breakfast. "Their chefs have integrity, they’re really committed to innovation, they try a lot of things and succeed at most of them," says Hanley.How much: Sandwiches from $7 to $13; breakfast from $7 to $12

RapscallionWhere: 61 Young St.Type of food: Adventurous carnivore (with a few veggie options). "Matt Kershaw is probably the single greatest chef in Ontario," says Hanley. "Simplicity kind of rules and yet he’s daring at the same time."How much: Dishes from $9 to $19

La Cantina RistoranteWhere: 60 Walnut St. S.Type of food: Italian. "You go there at 7 and you just wind up staying until midnight," says Hanley.How much: Appetizers $6.50 to $14.95, mains $12.95 to $24.95

The Ancaster MillWhere: 548 Old Dundas Rd. (Ancaster)Type of food: High-end dining with classic dishes. "Along with Quatrefoil, this is one of the more decadent dining experience you can have in the area," says Hanley.How much: Appetizers $10 to $16, mains $20 to $41

Detour CafeWhere: 41 King St. W. (Dundas)Type of food: This place started as a coffee roaster, then started serving brunch, then sandwiches, and now also has dinners on Fridays.How much: Breakfast $6 to $13, lunch $6.50 to $14